Palaeoenvironmental reconstruction of the Upper Visean Paprotnia Beds (Bardo Unit, Polish Sudetes) using ichnological and palaeontological data

In this paper the trace fossil associations and the taphocoenoses from the Upper Visean Paprotnia Beds (Bardo Unit) have been compared. Eleven ichnogenera have been recognized (Zoophycos, Chondrites, Protovirgularia, Lockeia, Palaeophycus, Nereites, Planolites, Altichnus, Paleobuprestis, cf. Thalassinoides and ?daedaloid form). A new ichnospecies Paleobuprestis sudeticus has been defined herein. It is the oldest wood-boring trace fossil observed in macroscale and the first wood-boring trace fossil preserved on the archaeocalamites stems. Based on ichnodiversity and relative abundance of trace fossils in the investigated strata three ichnoassociations have been distinguished: Zoophycos–Chondrites–Palaeophycus, Palaeophycus–Nereites and Paleobuprestis. Vertical succession of both the taphocoenoses and ichnoassociations reflects the different colonization stages of the substrate and is linked to bathymetric changes in the marine basin from offshore to nearshore conditions in warm climate at low latitude. The Paprotnia profile is a unique record of the Asbian–Brigantian transition.